Heroin Addiction Rare Among Painkiller Abusers

January 21, 2016

“A review of the relationship between prescription opioid-based painkiller abuse and heroin addiction in the United States found that while both have grown significantly in recent years, they are not necessarily connected.

A small portion of people who abuse prescription painkillers switch to heroin, researchers said in a comparison of studies on abuse of both drugs, but they are mostly separate problems that require similar solutions.

Deaths from heroin overdose have at least doubled in the last few years, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also found people who abuse or are dependent on prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin.”